To Slay A Demon
by noctepanther
Summary: She exists to slay them all. So how did this happen?


_**To Slay A Demon **_

_So, I was playing Soul Calibur II earlier today, and this crazy thought crossed my mind; Taki/Nightmare. Don't ask me how it popped into my head, I was probably stoned off myself. Woo inside jokes! I don't own Soul Calibur. Namco owns it, like all of my favorite games. _

It was supposed to be a simple mission, no different from any of the others ever given to her. Find the demon, slay it, slip away into the night. She got paid, and the world was a bit safer. A good deal, all in all.

Never did she expect this to happen.

It all started out innocently enough. After being given her assignment, she put on her white armor of purity, with its golden symbols of protection engraved all over it. Her dark hair was pulled up so her hazel gaze wouldn't be disturbed. Grabbing Rekki-Marru and Mekki-Marru, she silently left the small building she guiltily called home, bounding into the deep forest at incredible speeds befitting of the ninja she was.

His trail wasn't difficult to pick up. Besides the stench of evil breaking the sweet smell of the forest's innocence, broken twigs lay strewn everywhere, and his heavy footsteps could easily been seen in the dark brown mud left by a recent rain. She stooped down next to the remains of a small fire, fingering the black ashes left there. Two days old, at least. The man could move fast, despite his size and the weight of his cargo. _He must have considerable strength,_ she thought, her gaze shifting to the carcass of bird lying forgotten by the now useless source of heat. Blue feathers were stuck to bits of now molding meat, and the poor creature's head was missing. _He ate it raw..._The thought made a small shudder run down her lithe frame. One hand unconsciously drifted to Rekki-Marru, as if she thought he was going to burst out of the brush and attack her.

She stood up, shaking such foolish thoughts from her head. Worries such as those would create a clouded mind, and that would create a failed mission, and possibly her death. She stretched a little, noting the sun's position. _Remember when you fought the Water Demon in Fuji? _she thought to herself as she started off after her prey again. _The creature was at least fifteen feet tall, and all you can manage to think was, "A giant fish? I'm getting paid to go fishing?" How is this any different? Snap out of it Taki! _A small smile crept across her pale face as she leapt from one branch to another, never losing her balance. The Water Demon had been a formidable foe, but she had still manage to triumph. Surely this man couldn't be any harder to defeat. She picked up her pace, anxious to prove her mind correct.

As the moon started to rise, she had to force herself to stop, despite her eagerness to find the man. She wouldn't be able to do her job properly if she was unrested. Settling against the rough trunk of a tree, concealed within its branches, she closed her eyes, muttering various chants to help sleep to come.

_Elenamen Chimol Yuihop Ghenin _

Sleep Rest Dream Restore

Many hours later, as the first golden rays of the sun brushed their comforting touch across her face, her eyes fluttered open to find a pair of green staring back at her through narrowed lids.

"So you're the one who's been carelessly tracking me these past few days." He sneered at her, vile breath nearly causing her to choke. Glancing at her weapons, a small chortle of amusement escaped his mouth, deep and fast. "Were you sent to kill me?" A roughly calloused finger trailed against her smooth cheek, "Darling, you couldn't if you were a Goddess." The finger rallied with its brothers and struck the same skin it just so lovingly caressed.

Her hand went automatically to the stricken spot, as if it would somehow heal the pain. She glanced at him again, golden hair trailing down to his armored chest. His sword was slung over his back, and a grotesque, misshapen arm held onto the branch, keeping his balance. His other, normal, hand hovered near her body, fingers twitching every so often. The stench of Demon was all over him, but, she could sense something. Was it...human? A soul of what used to be? Smiling sweetly, she replied, "Oh, I would never dream of trying to defeat you. You're just so big and strong." The sarcasm dripped from her words like a melting icicle. "But that doesn't mean I can't try." With that, she slid one of her strong legs beneath both of his, knocking him off the branch so that he only hung by his demon hand. Standing up, she bent over to see his furious face. "My name is Taki. I have slain the greatest demons of all the races." She dramatically rose a foot over the dark brown fingers of his hand. "You're just another one to add to my list." Her foot came down like lighting, and her ears were rewarded with a sharp yelp of pain from the man and his crash on the forest floor. Drawing her blades, she followed his path down, diving in a graceful arc through the sky.

He was already on his feet, blade drawn, green eyes seeming to have darken a bit. Another smirk played about on his handsome features. Few could have duped him so easily, and a female at that. She intrigued him. Perhaps he would allow her the pleasure of thinking she would live. Pointing his blade at her, he uttered his challenge, "And I am Nightmare, Devourer of Souls, the Scourge of the Earth." Rushing forwards suddenly, he swung his sword at a range that would cut her, but not seriously. "None have escaped my fury. What makes you think you are different?" The change in the demeanor upon her face told him that she accepted his challenge.

She began to circle, and he followed. "Because I have never failed." Mekki-Marru twirled lazily in her hand. "And with a sword that big, you have to be compensating for something." She returned the smirk, pleased with her taunt.

The man only laughed again. It had been so long since he had laughed this much; indeed, since he had laughed at all. Something in the back of his mind enjoyed the feeling, but it was suddenly pushed back. "And that outfit only tells me your only arenas of victory are in bed," he retorted, edging a bit closer to her.

Her careful eyes missed nothing. For a minute, she thought she had seen a twinkle behind those eyes of his. In fact, it was if they had almost brightened. She gave her foe a quick and analyzing look up and down. His frame was muscular, and he could almost hold that huge sword of his in one hand. The armor he wore was surely thick, much too strong for her blades to do any damage. Her only advantage in this battle was he speed, and her stamina was sure to fade. She stepped back ever so slightly, as not to show that she was giving a small retreat. She needed to regroup and think of a strategy. What did she know? _Whenever we talk...his eyes seem to change. They brighten in some way. _Her own hazel orbs widened slightly, remembering the smell that was mixed in with the scent of the demon. _The soul...what if he is buried within the demon? Maybe that is the way to win...to release the human. _And so far, the only way she had seen to do that is to talk to him...

She smiled sweetly, turning a bit and showing her leg like a street geisha might. "Why don't you come over and find out?" she called to him in a sing-song voice.

As the notes of her vocal chords hit his ears, they reminded him of something. What was it? Nightingales? His grip on his blade momentarily slackened, then tightened again.

"What's wrong?" Her voice called out to him again. "You don't like what you see? Or you don't like women?" His face grew warm for a few seconds, before returning to its normal composure. That...that _thing _in the back of his mind gained more ground, pushing its way forward until it almost had complete control over his thoughts.

In a swift move that neither anticipated to happen, he dropped his sword and marched over to her, like a soldier on parade. His bigger hands easily knocked her weapons from her surprised hands, and then drew her dainty and exotic face in for a kiss. He could feel her resist at first, and then relax in a feeling of happiness.

They stood there for several minutes, oblivious to all the sounds of the wood, even to the own beating of their hearts. Suddenly, she pushed him away. "I must complete my mission," she said, hazel eyes serious with duty. He nodded slowly, now understanding what had to be done.

"I'm ready," he replied, deep voice slow and drawn out. He stepped back a bit and tilted his head a bit, to give her a better angle. His eyes closed slowly, savoring every last bit of her he saw.

Holding back a giggle, she stepped silently towards him. Placing the tip of Rekki-Marru against his neck, she intoned, mostly to herself;

"_Kilogh Yuishi! Biveuh Verwai!_"

"Blessed Be! Demon Begone!"

His eyes snapped opened as her blade drove through his neck, and then pulled itself out. A terrible pain roared through him, like the blood of those he had killed had rallied against him. A scream threatened to escape his lips, but he forced them shut. He would not let her see him weak at this moment.

She smiled as she stepped closer to him. Cupping his face gently, she whispered. "My job is done. The demon is gone." Rising slightly, she kissed him. "The man has returned."

The last thing she remembered seeing was a smile on his face before he sent her into a state of bliss.

_And to think...this was all because I had to slay a demon..._

_A/N: Well, it's done. What did you people think? I should mention this is my first Soul Calibur story and my first romance one shot in awhile. Well, review please. _


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